| Name of institution |
Convent of the Sisters of Mercy |
| Type of institution |
Roman Catholic Convent |
| Street Address |
Victoria Square |
| City |
Perth |
| State |
Western Australia |
| Postcode |
6000 |
| Country |
Australia |
| Name of building |
Convent of the Sisters of Mercy |
| Name of room |
Chapel of the Immaculate Conception |
| Dates of the building |
1924
|
| Architect’s and builder’s names |
E. LeB. Henderson
(also architect of St. Joseph's Church, Subiaco) |
| Special architectural features |
Built in red brick, the Chapel’s architectural
style was unique at the time to the Australian environment and
climate. The aisle ceilings are constructed in the groined and
vaulted style of early English or 13th century Gothic. The
ceiling of the nave is half groin, vaulted with richly moulded panels.
The Chapel still retains its monastic setting. In the early days,
the Sisters prayed the “Prayer of the Church”, consisting
of Psalms, hymns and prayers, were said by alternate sides, hence the
stalls facing each other. The stalls are of polished jarrah; work
carried out by Ahern’s Ltd. |
| Special fittings |
The altar, statue pedestals and sanctuary floor are
of white Italian marble, carried out to design by Wilson, Gray and
Co. The two small statues on the altar were magnificently
sculptured in Italy for the purpose. The adoring angels, also in
Carrara marble, were executed in Italy. The credence is designed
into the wall of the sanctuary. The ceilings and ornamental
plasterwork were originally done by R. Tindale, modeller and were of
excellent workmanship. The Sacristy is complete with furniture in
oak with accommodation for all accessories. |
| Other location information |
The Chapel is approached by a flight of steps to a
large porch on the west end, and has three other approaches from the
Convent verandah and balcony by means of gangways-the centre one being
surmounted by the belfry. The bell was specially cast at
Metters’ foundry, and is of a very pleasing tone.
The murals by Fra Angelico, depicting the Coronation of Mary, were the
work of a crippled Italian nun who painted the work on separate canvas
segments. When in Rome in the early 1930s, Mother Brigid Mc
Donald purchased them for the Chapel. They were installed in the
dome in the 1940s by D C Perrott.
Other noteworthy features of the Chapel are the statues of Our Lady and
St Joseph purchased in Dublin by Mother McDonald. In the main
porch is the painting of Murillo’s Immaculate Conception, copied
by a French artist, P. Michel, Paris, under the patronage of one of the
Popes, it seems, or so the presence of the Papal Coat of Arms seems to
testify.
The two oil paintings at the back of the chapel are:-
The Unbelief of Thomas
The Ridiculing of Christ by the Soldiers.
From the markings on the back of the canvas both were painted in 1845
and of Spanish origin. However little is known of their early
history or of how they came to be in the possession of the Sisters of
Mercy, Perth. |
| Name of contact |
Sr Joan Smith rsm. |
| Mailing Address |
PO Box C114 East Perth 6000 |
| Telephone |
(08) 9323 1323 |
| Email |
|
| Other contact information |
Mercy Heritage Centre Coordinator,
Victoria Square
Mobile 0401786100 |
| . |
|
| Date of previous organs |
None |
| Detail of previous organs |
|
| Dates when key work has been undertaken |
|
| Dates of any moves that have taken place |
|
| Variations from original design of organ |
|
| Information on previous organs |
|
| Information about comparable instruments to previous
organs |
|
| . |
|
| Present organ |
|
| Type of installation |
Gallery shelf |
| Case description |
Two towers and three flates |
| Placement in room |
Rear gallery |
| Builder's name |
W.L. Roberts Ltd., Adelaide |
| Opus number |
82 |
| Date of completion/installation |
1926 |
| Construction materials |
Jarrah |
| Number of manuals |
Two (2) |
| Key compasses |
C-c3 |
| Number of keys |
61 |
| Key material |
|
| Pedal compass |
C-g1 |
| Number of pedals |
30 |
| Pedalboard type |
|
| Pedalboard material |
|
| Type of chests |
|
| Type of key action |
Electro-pneumatic |
| Type of stop action |
Electro-pneumatic |
| Couplers |
Swell
to Great, Swell Octave to Great, Swell Suboctave to Great,
Great and Pedal combinations coupled, Swell Octave, Swell Suboctave,
Great to Pedal, Swell to Pedal. |
| Tremulants |
Swell |
| Accessories |
3 thumb pistons each manual
toe pistons to swell and pedal
full organ reversible toe lever |
| Console type |
Drawstop, 45 degree jambs |
| Stop label material |
|
| Placement |
Detached, facing organ |
| General design |
|
| Playing aids |
Swell shoe |
| Divisions |
GT, SW, PED |
| Wind pressures |
|
| Stop list |
| GREAT |
|
|
|
| Open Diapason |
8' |
Metal |
|
| Hohl Flute |
8' |
|
|
| Diapason |
4' |
|
|
| Chimney Flute |
4' |
|
|
| Twelfth |
2 2/3' |
|
|
| Fifteenth |
2' |
|
|
| Cornopean |
8' |
|
A |
| . |
|
|
|
| SWELL |
|
|
|
| Violin Diapason |
8' |
|
|
| Lieblich Gedeckt |
8' |
|
|
| Viola da Gamba |
8' |
|
|
| Viole Celeste |
8' |
|
TC |
| Gemshorn |
4' |
|
|
| Flageolet |
2' |
|
|
| Mixture 19-22 |
II |
|
|
| Bassoon |
16' |
|
A |
| Cornopean |
8' |
|
A |
| Clarion |
4' |
|
A |
| . |
|
|
|
| PEDAL |
|
|
|
| Harmonic Bass |
32' |
|
Der |
| Subbass |
16' |
|
B |
| Bourdon |
16' |
|
|
| Octave |
8' |
|
C |
| Bass Flute |
8' |
|
B |
| Octave |
4' |
|
C |
| Bassoon |
16' |
|
A |
| Cornopean |
8' |
|
A |
| Clarion |
4' |
|
A |
| . |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total number of speaking stops |
26 |
| Total number of ranks |
17 |
| Total number of pipes |
|
| Dates when key work has been undertaken on current
organ |
Originally built by W.L. Roberts Ltd. as a 15 stop organ with tubular-pneumatic action at a cost of £1,194.
Electrified with additional coupler 1950's Paul F. Huffner.
Rebuilt 1983 F.J. Larner & Co. Great chorus replaced. new upperwork added, reed unit installed to the Swell.
Restored 1999 Pipe Organ Builders and Services. Chests, stop actions and regulators attended to, no tonal changes. |
| Dates of any moves that have taken place to current
organ |
None |
| Information on current organ |
The pipe organ
was
made possible by a donation of £1200 from Miss McArdle-a generous
benefactor of the Sisters of Mercy. |
| Comparable instruments to current
organ |
|
| Current status |
In good condition 2008 |
| Assessment of organ |
|
Other organs by this builder
(original locations) |
Christ Church Anglican Church, Claremont
Perth College, Mount Lawley
St. Andrew's Uniting Church, Perth City
Wesley Church, Claremont
Wesley Church, Perth City |
| Photographs |
Photographs by Bruce Duncan |
| Technical documents |
|
| General documents |
|
| . |
|
| Supporting information |
Organs and Organsists, The West Coast Story. OHTA 2004
|
| . |
|
| Document control |
Original entries J R Elms, OAM, Gazetteer of Western Australian Pipe Organs, 1971, 1999,2003 and 2004.
This entry D B Duncan 16 November 2008.
Contact information updated 08 April 2010 with detail from Sr Joan Smith .
|
